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A Mild-Mannered Reporter Extra: Interviews with Champions Online and The Phoenix Project
I promised you that we would be doing interviews next time, but astute readers would note that I did not say "next week." So welcome to our special extra installment of the column looking at two different sides following the City of Heroes shutdown. We've already seen two projects coming from the ashes of CoH; The Phoenix Project and Heroes and Villains are both currently being assembled by passionate fans of the now-departed game. But we'd be remiss if we failed to note the impact that the game's closure has had on existing games like Champions Online and DC Universe Online. Rather than just speculating on any of this, we decided to just ask. So today you've got two interviews. One is with Brad Stokan, Executive Producer at Cryptic Studios, about how the City of Heroes shutdown has affected Champions Online and the studio that helped bring the game to life in the first place. The other is with the lead staff at Missing Worlds Media, the team behind The Phoenix Project. So let's take a look behind the scenes, yes?
Champions Online has a new Executive Producer and a new State of the Game
Changes in administration for any game can leave players a bit rattled -- and with a game like Champions Online that's already seen several management changes, it's even more disconcerting. That's only one of the big takeaways from the game's newest State of the Game address, which opens up with Rob Overmeyer outlining the game's recent updates and announcing that he's stepping down from his current role as executive producer (although he's remaining with the game's development staff). Brad Stokan, the new executive producer, has enough in his portion of the letter that you might forget about the first half. He explains that the team is working on building new content updates around overall themes, with June's major theme -- in both story content and mechanical inclusions -- being powered armor. This is going to continue with new Alerts and special events based around themes. He also teases that we may very well see superheroic vehicles in the game in the near future, giving players of Champions Online plenty to look forward to under new administration.
Cryptic Studios profiles Champions Online artist Brad Stokan
Cryptic Studios has been running a "Meet the Team" series of profiles of their developers working on Champions Online. The latest Q&A is with Brad Stokan, the Lead Character Artist for Champions Online. He discusses what he does at Cryptic Studios and what led him to the industry in the first place. Although it's a rather lighthearted interview, Stokan offers some solid advice for artists who want to break into the gaming industry. He points out what he sees as the pitfalls many fall into when honing their skills and trying to get their work recognized by potential employers. His final piece of advice? Stokan says, "Play Champions, because we need to eat. Also, never give up your dream of working in games, kid!" Check out "Meet the Team: Brad Stokan" for more about the Champions Online Lead Character Artist.[Via MMORPG.com]
